A Bad Day For Memories - April UYW

Welcome and thanks for stopping by today’s post is a writing challenge. This is how it works: participating bloggers picked 4 – 6 words or short phrases for someone else to craft into a post. All words must be used at least once and all the posts will be unique as each writer has received their own set of words. That’s the challenge, here’s a fun twist; no one who’s participating knows who got their words and in what direction the writer will take them. Until now.

At the end of this post you’ll find links to the other blogs featuring this challenge. Check them all out, see what words they got and how they used them. 

There's a tale of a rabbit that has been wreaking havoc, if you're interested here's the last installment.

https://cognitivescript.blogspot.com/2019/03/that-rascally-rabbit-strikes-again.html

Sue sprawled out on the floor cold as a cucumber. Ted was in a state of shock and just stood there for a moment, then he called 911.

"Hello, this is 911 what is the emergency?"

Ted stammered, "uh um, well I heard my wife scream and something crashed. I came in and found her on the floor"

"Sir, is she conscious?"

"uh umm...I don't know." Sue moaned and reached up to touch her head.

"Never mind she's getting up I think." Ted hung up.

Bob said, "Ted don't you think she might need to see a doctor?"

Sue sat up, rubbed her head and turned her red glaring eyes on Ted. "DOCTOR?A! WHY because some stupid rabbit tripped me?! I swear if it is the last thing I do I'm going to kill that..." her voice trailed off. Mary had come over and was rubbing her hair, what does this crazy old woman think she is doing??? Mary smiled, "there there sweet girl, it will be all right you'll see." She had a distant look in her eyes.

Bob walked over and gently took Mary by the arm, he nodded to Ted. "We'll be seeing ya buddy, guess we should mosey on home."

As the screen door slammed shut, Sue sat up."Don't stand there like a buffoon, help me up!".

Helping her up, he did not think and spoke, "Sue what exactly happened?".

She snatched her arm from him, looked down at the broken bowl and floor. "What do think? I was making you a delicious cake for dessert. YOU fool, that damned rabbit is what happened. I was going to make more of my...well his food and he was by the counter, tripped me and I dropped it. Must have hit my head."

"Sue do you really think you can dupe the rabbit? I think he is the master of trickery here."

"Are you implying that the rabbit is SMARTER than I AM Ted?".

Oh crap, now he had done it. Poked the witch with her own broom. He watched as she stormed out of the room.

Later that evening he was listening to music with his headphones on and thinking about his neighbors. He wondered if Mary had dementia. It was such a sad disease. He sighed, he remembered his mother telling him that very diagnosis for his grandfather. The man he loved dearly and missed everyday, and whom Bob reminded him of. Looking up a book caught his attention on the shelf, he was not familiar with the font or color of the binder. Getting up and walking across the room, reaching for the book and about to pick it up when Sue burst into the room. "T E D! THAT IS IT!!!"

Your words are:

screen ~ delicious ~ dupe ~ font ~ headphones

It was submitted by:  https://followmehome.shellybean.com

Links to the other “Use Your Words” posts:

Baking In A Tornado                       https://www.bakinginatornado.com

Wandering Web Designer              https://wanderingwebdesigner.com/blog

Cognitive Script                           https://cognitivescript.blogspot.com

The Bergham Chronicles               https://berghamchronicles.blogspot.com/

On the Border                             https://dlt-lifeontheranch.blogspot.com/     

Follow Me Home                        https://followmehome.shellybean.com

The Crazy Mama Llama                 https://www.thecrazymamallama.com/

Climaxed                                    https://climaxedtheblog.blogspot.com 

Southern Belle Charm                   https://www.southernbellecharm.com

Bookworm in the Kitchen                 https://www.bookwormkitchen.com/ 

Stacy Sews and Schools                  https://stacysewsandschools.blogspot.com/             

Oh To My Surprise - April SSS

I had just settled down and gotten all cozy in bed when I heard a banging noise. Must be the wind I thought. So I rolled over. Again with the banging, it kept getting louder and louder. Reaching over for my phone, because I was comfortable, I texted my husband. He was downstairs working on a project. Hearing his phone vibrate I realized it was plugged in on  the nightstand. Well dang it. I'd have to get up and go ask him to see what the noise was.

Getting up and donning my slippers and robe I head down the hall. BANG BANG BANG and a moaning sound. Oh dear lord what is that??? I panicked and called 911.

Hello, this is 911, what is your emergency?

I keep hearing a loud banging noise in my house and now I hear moaning! PLEASE I can't find my husband, send someone over!!! NOW!

Operator: ma'am, you say your husband is missing?

Worry about that later! SEND SOMEONE NOW I think someone is breaking in my house!
All the while, the banging continued, the moaning and I swear I heard my name.
After giving my address and promising to stay upstairs, yeah like i'm going down there, I waited.
Where was Bruce anyway? OH NO what if he encountered the burglar and was hurt!! OH NO my mind was frantic and I saw the lights flashing through the curtains.
Oh yes! The cops are here. So glad. I peeked out the curtains, of course, now all the neighbors are gathering outside. How embarrassing.
It took hours, well, actually more like 15 minutes and there stood my husband. Soaking wet, shivering and from the look on his face mad as hell.
There was an officer right behind him. "Ma'am, are you Mrs. Jenson?" 
Yes I am.
"And is this your husband?"
Yes it is.
The officer laughed, okay folks, have a nice evening. He turned to walk away and I hear rolls of laughter, there must be a dozen cops in my hallway.
WAIT! What is going on? I yelled.
The cop, trying to keep a straight face, said "Ma'am, the moaning was your husband you was about frozen outside in his shorts. The sprinkler was on and it is 20 degrees out side. The banging was him, he was locked outside. Without his phone and keys." more laughter.
I was so embarrassed.
OMG how had I forgotten, he took the trashcans to the curb. I didn't realize he was locked out, AND the sprinklers came on. Oh good grief. I know the neighbors will have a field day.
Sheepishly I got off the end of the bed, grabbed a towel and handed it to my husband.
I'm sorry?!
He looked at me. Walked into the bathroom and slammed the door.
 THAT is how I woke up. The slamming of a door. I about jumped clean off the bed.BRUCE? I yelled.
From the bathroom I hear, "wait a minute".
When he came out and just looked at me. "What?" I said.
Really? That's all you have to say? "what?" all innocent like? he was clearly miffed.
Bruce, please, what is wrong. I was asleep and had the weirdest dream.
Please tell me all about it, he said in a very sarcastic tone.
I began telling him and he starts laughing.
I said, "wait, why are you laughing? Aren't you mad that in my dream I locked you out, sort of?"
No. I'm laughing because you were moaning and saying "officer please come now"!
OH MY WORD... where did his mind go?

Thanks Karen for the prompt. 

Welcome to a Secret Subject Swap. This week 10 brave bloggers picked a secret subject for someone else and were assigned a secret subject to interpret in their own style. Today we are all simultaneously divulging our topics and submitting our posts. 

Here are links to all the sites now featuring Secret Subject Swap posts.  Sit back, grab a cup, and check them all out. See you there:

Baking In A Tornado                           https://www.BakingInATornado.com

Never Ever Give Up Hope             https://batteredhope.blogspot.com

Wandering Web Designer              https://wanderingwebdesigner.com/my-dream-car-one-that-runs-secret-subject-swap

Cognitive Script                           https://cognitivescript.blogspot.com   

The Bergham Chronicles               https://berghamchronicles.blogspot.com/

The Crazy Mama Llama                  https://www.thecrazymamallama.com/

Climaxed                                      https://climaxedtheblog.blogspot.com/        

Southern Belle Charm                    https://www.southernbellecharm.com  

Bookworm in the Kitchen                 https://www.bookwormkitchen.com/ 

Stacy Sews and Schools                   https://stacysewsandschools.blogspot.com/  

You are home alone and just went to bed.  Suddenly you hear loud bangs coming from inside your home. You call the police and they investigate. When they finally knock on your bedroom door, they are laughing at you. When they show you what it is you are so embarrassed.

It was submitted by: https://www.bookwormkitchen.com/

That Rascally Rabbit Strikes Again - March UYW

Today’s post is a writing challenge. This is how it works: participating bloggers picked 4 – 6 words or short phrases for someone else to craft into a post. All words must be used at least once and all the posts will be unique as each writer has received their own set of words. That’s the challenge, here’s a fun twist; no one who’s participating knows who got their words and in what direction the writer will take them. Until now.

🐇🐇🐇🐇🐇🐇

There stood Ted in a daze with his cola in his hand wondering if he should cancel his 3 o'clock massage appointment. Sue was coming in through the garage door when he saw it. That damn rabbit, he secretly hoped she would not see him or he'd get away. Sue had been planting her "concoction" all over the yard and in the bushes hoping to do away with him for good as she liked to say.

He was kinda used to him and he was a big pain in the ass but he was starting to feel sorry for the guy. Oh he could hold his own against Sue, he had proven that so far. A robust fellow as grandpa would have said.

Suddenly there was a knock at the patio door...what in the world?! WHO could be knocking on that door? You'd have to be in the backyard and there was no access except from inside the house or garage. Both Ted and Sue stood there for a moment, then she snapped out of it and in true Sue fashion said "oh for crying out loud Ted don't just stand there doing nothing like a worthless lump". Geez she had a way of making him feel so special these days. He was beginning to wonder what he ever saw in her to begin with and what she saw in him? It sure didn't feel like love anymore.

He turned and followed her through the kitchen to the dining room toward the French doors leading to the patio. What the...it was their neighbors Bob and Mary. Sue turned slightly to roll her eyes in Ted's direction. He smiled an apology for what he wasn't sure.

Waving his hand frantically, Bob yelled through the glass "HEY your rabbit was in our yard" as he put his hand on the knob to try and come in. Oh good lord Ted thought, Sue might feed him her rabbit demise concoction!

Sue, exhaling with obvious irritation, turned the knob, held her place in the doorway and said in very if not overly stern voice "IT is NOT our rabbit Bob thank you very much", Bob chuckled and said "oh well excuse me Missy but I beg to differ, you the one feeding him in the bushes" as he brushed her aside and walked into the house.

Mary followed suit and they went straight to the kitchen and pulled out the stools at the island and sat down like they had done it a thousand times before.

Following them Ted heard Sue cussing under her breath "who do these two old coots think they are walking right in my house and making themselves at home I've a good mind to..."

holy shit Batman she was pissed. Ted did the unthinkable and said "Hey Bob old  buddy why don't we go outside and sit a spell, Mary you too" and he gently led them back outside.

Well that was the first decent thing he had done in weeks Sue thought, now how to get rid of them for good too?

Bob crossed his spindly legs and said "Ted let me shed some light on the subject of being neighborly or illuminate you as the kids say today. When I was growing up we lived on a farm about 25 miles from town. We'd go in once a month and gather supplies that we didn't grow ourselves, you know, flour, sugar, shotgun shells and other stuff like that there. We were thrilled when one of our neighbors rolled up on our land, it meant a break, sit a spell, visit, talk, something that has gone out of fashion these days and might, no does need to be revived. I see you and your misses and y'all don't seem to happy with life in general. Always yelling at squirrels, trying to kill that rabbit, cutting eyes at each other like enemies. Let me ask you a question Ted. Why did y'all get married in the first place? I know we don't know each other well and it might be overstepping but I hate to see young folks like yourselves so unhappy. There is too much going on to be unhappy, life is short and if you don't think so, wait a few more years and your boy will be driving and you'll hardly ever see him. Then you'll wonder where the time went." Taking a breath he looked out toward the tree line, he spotted the rabbit and gave a chuckle. Hopefully Sue would not find out he removed her poison and replaced it with feed. It was a faulty plan to begin with.

Ted said "Bob you remind me of my grandfather, he sighed, and I miss him. He used to say we all need to live in one cord with one another or something like that. He was a farmer and Sue hates the country, I'll be honest, I'm not sure why we got married. I mean, I was sure when it happened, but lately a lot has changed. We do yell, we argue, she is just so mad all the time. shaking his head he said, Bob I just don't know."

As if on cue, Sue emerged from the house and bellowed "TED", he looked up, sighed and went to see what he had done wrong now, besides breathing that is.

Bob looked at Mary, he reached for her hand. She smiled and said "I'm so glad we learned a long time ago to let the worries of the world go and enjoy each other and life. I think they need to do that as well." Bob squeezed her and and smiled. Oh she was so right.

Ted went to Sue and said "yes dear, what do I need to do?" She glared at him and said "GET RID of them! I have things to do and it is not entertain a couple of old people." Ted flinched, damn that was harsh, they were really nice and he was actually having a nice time until she came out that was. She cocked her head sideways and looked at him with great scrutiny, "are you actually enjoying talking with them?" He felt embarrassed and scared but replied, "yes Sue I am" she laughed that laugh which sounded like the witch from The Wizard of Oz. He flinched, she laughed again and walked off. 

As he was returning to the guest, they heard it, they all heard it.

BAM CRASH Screams like the undead coming from the kitchen. Running they all got there to find Sue on the floor, covered in a white powder, a broken bowl next to her, and rabbit tracks leading out the garage door.

Bob said "well that rascally rabbit strikes again."

🐇🐇🐇🐇🐇🐇

At the end of this post you’ll find links to the other blogs featuring this challenge. Check them all out, see what words they got and how they used them.  

Your words are:

cola ~ illuminate ~ massage ~ robust ~ cord ~ faulty

It was submitted by: https://climaxedtheblog.blogspot.com     

Links to the other “Use Your Words” posts:

Baking In A Tornado                       https://www.bakinginatornado.com

theblogging911.com/blog

Cognitive Script                           https://cognitivescript.blogspot.com

Southern Belle Charm                 https://www.southernbellecharm.com  

The Bergham Chronicles               https://berghamchronicles.blogspot.com/

On the Border                             https://dlt-lifeontheranch.blogspot.com/     

The Crazy Mama Llama                     https://thecrazymamallama.com

Part-time Working Hockey Mom         https://thethreegerbers.blogspot.ch/  

Climaxed                                   https://climaxedtheblog.blogspot.com   

Follow Me Home                        https://followmehome.shellybean.com   

So Long To The Cold - poetry

This month our poetry challenge theme is Bye Bye Winter because we are all sick and tired of this mess. I know, it's not Spring yet and we know that, but some (Karen and Maryls) have been eyeball deep in snow for far too long. Our winter has been mild but good land amighty it has rained more than it has done anything else and I'm just about done with it to be honest.

Here is my feeble attempt at poetry once again and links to the other participants.


So Long To The Cold
So long cold weather
nasty wet and windy days
miss you,  I will not

Bye Bye Winter
Bye Bye Old Man Winter
You've overstayed your welcome
Please call before returning
as we may not be accepting your visits

Welcome home Spring
ah I see you brought Mr Pollen with you
green green
sniffle sneeze

Out with the old
In with the new
AA AA CHOO


Karen over at Baking In A Tornado : https://www.bakinginatornado.com/2019/03/bye-bye-winter-march-poetry.html
Lydia over at Cluttered Genius : http://www.clutteredgenius.com/?p=9902

The Demise of a Rabbit - Feb 2019 UYW

Today’s post is a writing challenge. This is how it works: participating bloggers picked 4 – 6 words or short phrases for someone else to craft into a post. All words must be used at least once and all the posts will be unique as each writer has received their own set of words. That’s the challenge, here’s a fun twist; no one who’s participating knows who got their words and in what direction the writer will take them. Until now.

At the end of this post you’ll find links to the other blogs featuring this challenge. Check them all out, see what words they got and how they used them. 

Sue looked at Ted and said "This is a tried and true old fashioned remedy. The old guy at the hardware store swears it will work."

Ted looked kind of skeptical. It was a unique that was for sure but Ted still wasn't sure this would work. It was a sensational idea if you thought about it long enough. The only bump he could think of was Jasper. What if he got into this concoction and it killed him. Shaking his head he walked away, that was something he did not want to think about.

Old Jasper, good ol' boy, man...Ted had gotten him right after college. Geez, that meant he was what...Ted stopped and glanced over at the dog sleeping on his bed by the bay window. Wow, he must every bit of fourteen years old. Sure couldn't tell it when he was after that dadgum rabbit.

Ted walked into his office and happened upon a book in the floor, laying open. He picked it up. "Farmers Almanac, hmm where did this come from?"

There was a tap at the window. He glanced up and screamed, like a girl I might add.

Sue came running into the study, "what, what is it?" she yelled coming into the room.

There stood Ted, still as a rock, eyes glazed over, mouth hanging open. He was staring towards the window. Sue turned and looked, she saw it, that damned rabbit again. HOW he was on the window sill she did not know nor care. She took off for the kitchen, she was determined to finish this concoction and watch that hair ball choke on it if it was the last thing she ever did.

Ted sat down behind his desk sometime later. Scratching his head he wondered just how the rabbit had gotten on the window sill and was he the one who put the book on the floor? Opening the almanac to the page ear marked he read, "

• Make a bad-tasting rabbit cocktail by grinding together three hot peppers, three large onions, and one whole bunch of garlic. Add water to cover, and place into a covered container overnight. Strain, and then add enough additional water to make a gallon of the mixture. Spray onto plants, repeating after rainfall. Commercial products using pungent garlic oil are also worth a try.

It was high lighted...how the? He looked around and there it was. A highlighter on the floor.

So the rabbit knew about the concoction, but did he know she also put diphacinone in it.

Leaning back in his chair Ted thought, this is one smart rabbit, what if we didn't get rid of it. What if it is some super species, an alien, or what if animals really can communicate and he is trying to tell us something.

"TED!" oh dear lord he almost fell backwards in his chair hitting the floor, startled to say the least he looked up. "yes dear, what can I do for you?"

Sue said, "well for starters you can tell me why I called you three times without any acknowledgment and why you are just sitting there doing nothing?! Aren't you supposed to be on a conference call right now?"

Oh crap...

Thanks to Jules for providing the words this month, I hope I did them justice. Now be sure to go and visit each of the others. See ya next month!!

Links to the other “Use Your Words” posts:

Baking In A Tornado                               https://www.bakinginatornado.com

Wandering Web Designer                        https://wanderingwebdesigner.com/blog

Cognitive Script                                      https://cognitivescript.blogspot.com

Southern Belle Charm                             https://www.southernbellecharm.com    

The Bergham Chronicles *Jules*              https://berghamchronicles.blogspot.com/

On the Border                                        https://dlt-lifeontheranch.blogspot.com/

Climaxed                                               https://climaxedtheblog.blogspot.com 

Part-time Working Hockey Mom               https://thethreegerbers.blogspot.ch    

Follow me home                                    https://followmehome.shellybean.com             

Your words are:

tried and true ~ sensational ~ upon ~ unique ~ bump

It was submitted by: https://berghamchronicles.blogspot.com 

From Rabbits to Squirrels - Feb 2019 SSS

You're back! Oh how wonderful, grab a chair, a cup of tea/coffee and prop up those tootsies. Today is Secret Subject Swap. This week 8 brave bloggers picked a secret subject for someone else and were assigned a secret subject to interpret in their own style. Now we are all simultaneously divulging our topics and submitting our posts. 

I hope you enjoy and please be sure to stop by the others, the links are below.

Here are links to all the sites now featuring Secret Subject Swap posts.  

Baking In A Tornado                           https://www.BakingInATornado.com

Never Ever Give Up Hope             https://batteredhope.blogspot.com

Wandering Web Designer              https://wanderingwebdesigner.com/blog

Cognitive Script                           https://cognitivescript.blogspot.com

Southern Belle Charm                 https://www.southernbellecharm.com   

The Bergham Chronicles               https://berghamchronicles.blogspot.com/

Climaxed                                         https://climaxedtheblog.blogspot.com   

Part-time Working Hockey Mom        https://thethreegerbers.blogspot.ch      

Ted was outside yelling like a fool. What in the hell is he yelling at now? thought Sue. She walked closer to the window and cracked it open.

"You stupid little rodent! I have told you over and over that THIS is the bird food! YOUR food is over there!" he was pointing wildly at a corn cob tied to a limb. The squirrel was none to impressed with this behavior. He cocked his head from one side to the other, then sprang forward, grabbed a mouthful of bird feed and he was off and running.

Ted was running too! "YOU damned fuzzy tailed little mongrel, if I get my hands on you... his voice trailed off. There in the path going into the trees behind his house, was IT. That dadgum rabbit!! OMG he thought Sue had killed that thing. He looked over his shoulder toward the house, shoot, she was standing at the window watching him. Probably thought he had lost his mind.

Sue leaned closer, what was he looking at? Wait...no, oh it better not be! THAT RABBIT?!

Running out the back door, down the steps and picking up speed she crossed the lawn in two seconds flat. The rabbit, ears up, turned and disappeared in to the bushes.

"WHERE IS HE, WHERE IS HE?!" Sue was screaming.

Ted looked at her and said "who" in a timid voice.

"WHAT?!!! DID YOU ASK ME WHO? TED you know damned well who. That filthy varmint, that son of a...." she stopped, she saw her neighbors peering over the fence. Oh crap.

"Hey Ted, Sue, everything okay over there?" asked Bob the old nosy retired neighbor that moved in last year.

Changing too a sweet voice Sue replied "Oh sorry Bob just some rodent issues, a wild rabbit that has been wreaking havoc for a while now. Nothing to worry about." She turned and headed toward the house.

Bob and Mary looked at each other, shrugged and head back to their deck chairs. Just as they sat down, they heard those fools neighbors again.

"I'm not yelling at you I'm yelling at the birds, telling them to peck the crap out of that squirrel next time he shows his beady little face here around the feeder again." Ted was yelling but was bringing his voice down as he saw Sue getting red faced, he knew he needed to calm down. These damned animals were making them both crazy.

Sue was already inside, stirring her coffee when she heard a scratching sound. She turned slowly and Jasper was looking right into the eyes of that squirrel who was NOW sitting on the counter eating one of her walnuts!

AARRGGHH she screamed and the squirrel jumped out the window, Jasper nearly catching him by the tail was now howling at the door to get out.

Bob and Mary sitting outside enjoying a sunny afternoon Tom Collins was again interrupted by those fools next door. Sighing they got up and went inside.

Are you wondering what rabbit? Here you can find two other short stories featuring the rabbit, Jasper and the fools next door.

https://cognitivescript.blogspot.com/2019/01/jasper-jan-2019-sss.html

https://cognitivescript.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-return-of-rabbitjan-2019-uyw.html

Your “Secret Subject” is:

You hear your neighbor having a loud, aggressive verbal fight with a squirrel that steals from all the neighborhood bird feeders. Tell us a story about the dialogue from the neighbor's perspective or tell us one from yours.

It was submitted by: https://climaxedtheblog.blogspot.com  THANK YOU Jenniy